At the bank
À la banque
- Open a bank account.
- Make online purchases and be familiar with common payment methods.
- Get to know the biggest banks of the country.
Learn key banking vocabulary and everyday expressions in French, such as ouvrir un compte (open an account), compte courant (checking account), and paiement sécurisé (secure payment), through realistic dialogues and practical verb conjugations.
Vocabulary (18) Share Copied!
Exercises Share Copied!
These exercises can be done together during conversation lessons or as homework.
Exercice 1: Conversation exercise
Instruction:
- Discuss the different payment methods that you see. (Discuss the different payment methods that you see.)
- Do you prefer shopping online or in a store? Do you like talking on the phone? (Do you prefer shopping online or in a store? Do you like talking on the phone?)
- Is it common in your country to leave a tip? (Is it common in your country to leave a tip? )
Teaching guidelines +/- 10 minutes
Example phrases:
|
Je préfère payer par carte car c'est plus rapide. I prefer paying by card because it is faster. |
|
J'aime avoir du liquide car parfois on ne peut pas payer par carte. I like to have cash because sometimes you can not pay by card. |
|
Je préfère faire des achats en ligne car c'est moins stressant pour moi. I like online shopping more because it is less stressful for me. |
|
Je préfère payer avec mon application bancaire. I prefer paying with my bank application. |
|
Nous payons par virement bancaire. We pay by bank transfer. |
|
Presque personne ne laisse de pourboire dans mon pays, donc je ne le fais jamais. Almost nobody leaves a tip in my country so I never do it. |
| ... |
Exercise 2: Dialogue Cards
Instruction: Select a situation and practice the conversation with your teacher or fellow students.
Exercise 3: Multiple Choice
Instruction: Choose the correct solution
1. Quand j'___ de l'argent au distributeur automatique, je vérifie toujours mon solde.
(When I ___ money from the ATM, I always check my balance.)2. La semaine dernière, le conseiller bancaire ___ mon compte courant pour vérifier les opérations.
(Last week, the bank advisor ___ my current account to verify the transactions.)3. Avant, je me ___ souvent à la banque pour déposer des chèques, mais maintenant je le fais en ligne.
(Before, I used to ___ often to the bank to deposit checks, but now I do it online.)4. Hier, j'___ un virement pour rembourser un prêt auprès de ma banque.
(Yesterday, I ___ a transfer to repay a loan to my bank.)Exercise 4: At the bank: an important day
Instruction:
Verb Tables
Déplacer - To go
Imparfait
- je me déplaçais
- tu te déplaçais
- il/elle/on se déplaçait
- nous nous déplacions
- vous vous déplaciez
- ils/elles se déplaçaient
Contrôler - To check
Passé composé
- j'ai contrôlé
- tu as contrôlé
- il/elle/on a contrôlé
- nous avons contrôlé
- vous avez contrôlé
- ils/elles ont contrôlé
Déposer - To deposit
Passé composé
- j'ai déposé
- tu as déposé
- il/elle/on a déposé
- nous avons déposé
- vous avez déposé
- ils/elles ont déposé
Grammar Share Copied!
It's not the most exciting thing, we admit, but it’s absolutely essential (and we promise it'll pay off)!
Verb conjugation tables for this lesson Share Copied!
Déplacer to move Share Copied!
imparfait
| French | English |
|---|---|
| (je/j') déplaçais | I was moving |
| (tu) déplaçais | you were moving |
| (il/elle/on) déplaçait | he/she/one was moving |
| (nous) déplacions | we were moving |
| (vous) déplaciez | you were moving |
| (ils/elles) déplaçaient | they moved |
Contrôler to control Share Copied!
passe_compose
| French | English |
|---|---|
| (je/j') ai contrôlé | I controlled |
| (tu) as contrôlé | You controlled |
| (il/elle/on) a contrôlé | he/she/one controlled |
| (nous) avons contrôlé | we have controlled |
| (vous) avez contrôlé | You controlled |
| (ils/elles) ont contrôlé | they controlled |
Don't see progress when learning on your own? Study this material with a certified teacher!
Do you want to practice French today? That is possible! Just contact one of our teachers today.
Lesson Overview: At the Bank
This lesson covers practical French language skills needed for common banking situations. It is designed for A2 learners and focuses on daily interactions at banks, including opening accounts, making online purchases, and discussing major French banks.
Key Topics Covered
- Opening a Bank Account: Learn essential vocabulary and phrases for talking to a bank advisor, discussing types of accounts like "compte courant" (checking account), and understanding required documents such as "pièce d'identité" (identification) and "justificatif de domicile" (proof of address).
- Making Online Purchases: Practice conversations about buying products online, choosing payment methods like "carte bancaire" (bank card) or PayPal, and asking about transaction security and delivery times.
- Familiarity with French Banks: Explore the names and characteristics of major French banks, such as BNP Paribas, Société Générale, and Crédit Agricole, and discuss reasons for choosing one bank over another.
Important Vocabulary and Expressions
- Ouvrir un compte bancaire – to open a bank account
- Carte bancaire – bank card
- Justificatif de domicile – proof of address
- Conseiller bancaire – bank advisor
- Virement – bank transfer
- Retirer de l'argent – to withdraw money
Verb Focus
This lesson emphasizes the use of common verbs in the passé composé and imparfait tenses, useful for past banking activities, such as:
- Retirer: J'ai retiré – I withdrew
- Contrôler: Le conseiller a contrôlé – The advisor checked
- Déplacer: Je me déplaçais – I used to go / I was going
- Faire: J'ai fait – I did / I made
Useful Phrases and Differences
In French banking conversations, formal greeting phrases like Bonjour, je voudrais... (Hello, I would like...) are common. Unlike English, French often requires specific forms of address in formal contexts. The use of passé composé (e.g., j'ai retiré) versus imparfait (e.g., je me déplaçais) is essential to describe completed actions versus ongoing or habitual past actions.
Some phrases such as justificatif de domicile have no direct one-word equivalent in English but refer to documents proving one's residence, like utility bills. Payment methods like carte bancaire refer broadly to bank-issued debit or credit cards.
These lessons would not be possible without our amazing partners🙏
